Alligood shows talents on national stage

Saturday

Aug 19, 2017 at 12:34 PM

Presented with a chance to show his skills on a national level, a 14-year-old boy from Anacoco made the most of it in Orlando, Florida.

Chris Schoonover

Landry Alligood went through on-field tests and games before being selected as the starting shortstop for the 13U team at the Select30 Championship at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on August 5. "It was a little different," Alligood said of the drills. "I've never done anything like that before. It was definitely a new experience for me."

Alligood, an incoming freshman at Anacoco High School, plays travel ball for the Next Level Nationals out of Alexandria as part of the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA). Playing with the Nationals game him a shot to make the Select30.

After games with the Nationals, Alligood was invited to a workout with 120 athletes from across the country, which is broken down to two 15-man teams to compete against each other in the Select30 Championships.

Alligood went 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple and a single while batting lead off from the 13U Red Team.

Although his team fell to the Navy Team 11-8, Alligood had a blast playing out on the diamond. "It was the most fun I've ever had playing a baseball game," Alligood said. "When I was in the batter's box, I just looked up and saw myself the jumbotron and I kind of zoned out for a second."

While his athletics tools were on display and being coached up, he says his biggest lesson came from the mental side. "I learned that when you're having a bad game, don't make it about you," Alligood said. "Run on and off the field and congratulate someone when they do something well."

Alligood has been playing baseball ever since he was 3 and will enter his first year of playing high school baseball when the season rolls around.